Americanos and Assault (Cup of Jo 6)

By Kelly Hashway

When a local fitness instructor is brutally murdered at the gym, coffee shop owner Joanna Coffee is once again on the case, but the new chief of police is dead set against the Bennett Falls Police Department using consultants.
Jo is used to sneaking around behind Detective Quentin Perry’s back to solve cases, but this time, he’s secretly feeding her information and helping her go undercover.
But poking around lands Jo on the wrong side of the law. How is she supposed to solve a murder if her investigation gets her arrested?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kelly Hashway
• Release date: Nov 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005971229

Kelly Hashway

Kelly Hashway fully admits to being one of the most accident-prone people on the planet, but luckily she gets to write about female sleuths who are much more coordinated than she is. Maybe it was growing up watching Murder, She Wrote that instilled a love of mystery, but she spends her days writing cozy mysteries. Kelly’s also a sucker for first love, which is why she writes romance under the pen name Ashelyn Drake. When she’s not writing, Kelly works as an editor and also as Mom, which she believes is a job title that deserves to be capitalized.

Book preview

Chapter One

Cup of Jo is busier than usual Friday morning. I don’t think I’ve sat down or even slowed down once since opening. When I set out to have my own coffee shop, lovingly named Cup of Jo since my name is Joanna Coffee, I dreamed I’d be this successful. And now here I am, co-owner with my amazing baker of a boyfriend, Camden Turner. I’ve known Cam for my entire life, and we’ve been dating for months. He’s made the move back to Bennett Falls, Pennsylvania better in so many ways. Let’s just say I fled to California for a while to recover after my ex, Detective Quentin Perry, cheated on me with my ex best friend, Samantha Shaw, who happens to be Samantha Perry now. Did I mention she owns Bouquets of Love, the flower shop right next door to Cup of Jo?

But somehow, I manage to stay sane. Mostly because Cam is amazing, my younger sister, Mo, always has my back, and the residents in town all sided with me in the breakup. It also doesn’t hurt that Quentin has needed my help on numerous occasions solving cases he can’t crack. He went from hating that I made him look bad to asking for my help to avoid looking like I one-upped him.

I finish ringing up an order when Mickey Baldwin, town gossip and my best customer, steps up to the counter. What can I get for you, Mickey? He spends hours here each day after working the night shift as a custodian at the local high school.

Another Americano, please, he says, motioning to the special’s board. I have a chalkboard theme going on in Cup of Jo, based on that exact board. Everything is black and white but with pops of neon chalk colors. I can’t believe I’ve never had an Americano until you put it on special today.

It’s really a simple drink for people who don’t like straight espresso since the only two ingredients are espresso and water. Personally, I prefer the strength of espresso, but it’s watered down counterpart, the Americano, is a big hit with a lot of people in town if the number of drinks I’ve served so far today is any indication. You’ve got it, Mickey.

I start making his drink when out of the corner of my eye I see him lean over the counter and wave me back to him. Cup in hand, I step toward him. He makes a show of looking around to ensure no one is trying to listen in. Then he cups his mouth with his hand and whispers, I saw police cars heading to Fantasy Fitness about two hours ago.

I’m not sure why he’s whispering if this happened hours ago. Mickey is the main source of information in this town, and he usually uses my coffee shop as his center stage. I place his cup on the counter. How many people have you told this to? I ask.

He points a finger at me. Nothing to actually tell yet. I was hoping a certain police detective called you with the scoop.

I shake my head. Sorry, Mickey. I haven’t heard from Detective Perry today. Which is why I’m having a good day so far. Quentin has apologized for his actions, and we get along okay now, but I’m not going to call him a friend anytime soon.

Mickey’s face falls. Okay, then I guess I’ll just take the Americano and another muffin.

I know what he’s doing. He’s prolonging his time here in hopes that Quentin will show up, and he can get some dirt on what happened at the gym. I don’t want to get a call from your physician about all the baked goods and caffeine you consume here. I turn around to get his Americano.

I know, but can you really blame me? Cam’s baking is too good, and I’ve loved every drink you’ve ever made me.

I place his drink on the counter. How about a bran muffin? At least that’s a little healthier than double chocolate chip.

Mickey’s shoulders slump. Only if I can get a chocolate stick for my coffee.

That kind of defeats the purpose, Mickey. I ring him up, grabbing a chocolate stick from the jar next to the register and placing it in his Americano. Want Cam to warm the muffin?

Yes, please. Mickey places a single in the tip mug and smiles before taking his coffee back to his table.

I’ll get the muffin, Robin, one of my only two employees, says, joining me behind the counter.

Thanks, Robin.

No problem. I had to get away from Jamar. If he spun me one more time, I was going to lose my breakfast. She rolls her eyes.

Jamar is my other employee as well as my neighbor and friend. He has a tendency to perform for the customers by dancing with them. I guess he brought Robin into his act today.

The door to Cup of Jo opens, drawing my attention. Samantha walks in looking very unhappy. She’s a few months pregnant now, and she and Quentin recently started seeing a therapist since Samantha announced she hates being pregnant. She’s not the type to sacrifice herself or think of anyone but herself. Thankfully, her mother will be watching the baby after it’s born, and Samantha will be going back to work.

She walks up to the register. Oh, Jo, have you heard from Quentin?

No, I haven’t. Why does everyone assume I know where that man is? I purposely try to avoid him.

She blows out a puff of air, making a few strands of blonde hair fly up from her forehead. He was called out of bed at four in the morning when the custodial crew opened up the gym and found the dead body. She says it like it was a total inconvenience to her to have the phone wake her at that hour. Never mind someone died.

I lower my voice, modeling proper volume when discussing cases that shouldn’t be talked about in public. Samantha, I don’t think Quentin would want you talking about that in here.

Well, then he should call me. I mean look at me. She holds her arms out at her sides. I’m as big as a house.

Truth be told, she’s not that big at all. No, you’re not. You look great. In fact, you’re glowing. I’m laying it on thick, but I want her to stop with the theatrics and go back to her own store.

You think so? she asks me. I feel like a whale.

It’s all in your head. Did you want to order something?

Maybe a piece of pie. Or a donut. She bites her lower lip. Crumb cake? She huffs. I can’t even think straight. I’m so tired.

And hungry, apparently. I’ll see what Cam has fresh out of the oven. I hurry into the kitchen, mostly to get away from her.

Hey, beautiful, Cam says when I enter. He’s pulling a coffee cake out of the oven.

It’s amazing how he can make me blush when he’s also witnessed my awkward preteen years. Samantha’s here.

Oh. He places the cake on a cooling rake and walks over to me. Let Robin or Jamar handle her.

Too late. She told me there was a dead body discovered at the gym this morning. And Mickey told me he saw police cars at Fantasy Fitness, so putting the two together, I’d say someone was found dead there this morning.

Cam smirks. Not your best sleuthing since that was pretty obvious.

I bob one shoulder. I can’t always be on my A game.

He leans forward and kisses me on the lips. What can I do for you?

Samantha wants something to eat but doesn’t know what.

I’ll handle it. Feel free to hide out here until she leaves. He turns and slices a large piece of the coffee cake, which he puts in a to-go container.

No, I can’t hide from her and Quentin all my life, no matter how much I’d like to. Somehow, I wound up catering their wedding. I can’t get rid of them because they always manage to pull me into their drama. Quentin nearly broke down to me just a few weeks ago. Neither one of them has any boundaries, at least not where I’m concerned.

How did I know I’d find you in here? Mo asks, walking into the kitchen.

I turn to face her. Well, I’m assuming you saw Samantha out there and knew I’d be as far away as I could get.

She has the roundest belly. Have you noticed? Mo gestures with her hands. It’s like a mini basketball in there. She drops her arms to the side and stares at me in horror. Can you imagine what it will be like when pregnancy brain kicks in? That woman is dumb as dirt to begin with.

Stop it. I swat at her arm. She’s not stupid; she’s just incredibly naïve. Growing up, I stood up for Samantha when other kids picked on her for her naivety. That was before she stabbed me in the back.

I’ll be right back, Cam says, carrying the coffee cake out of the kitchen.

So, Mo says, you and Cam have been having a lot of solo dinners this week. What’s up?

She’s not wrong. My apartment is usually the place to be at dinnertime. Jamar typically comes over as well as Mo and sometimes her boyfriend, Wes. I just haven’t felt up to crowds lately. Not since I had the realization that I want Cam to propose to me. I guess I thought dining alone would give him the opportunity to do so. But maybe he’s not thinking about marriage.

I shrug. I just wanted a quiet week, I suppose.

She narrows her eyes at me. Spill. I can tell there’s something on your mind.

If I tell her the truth, she’ll scream so loud everyone in Cup of Jo will think someone’s been murdered back here. But I also can’t lie to my sister. She’d see right through it.

I grab her arm and pull her to the back door. Not a word.

She mimes zipping her lips.

I check to make sure no one is coming into the kitchen before whispering, I was kind of hoping Cam was going to pop the question.

Mo slaps her hand over her mouth and lets out a muffled squeal.

Don’t get too excited. He hasn’t asked me, and I don’t think he’s planning to anytime soon.

Mo lowers her hand. Then you should ask him. Women can do that, you know. And everyone in town is just waiting for the day it happens because we all know it will.

I don’t think I want to be the one to ask.

Mo crosses her arms and cocks her head. Why not?

Because Cam has never said no to me. What if I ask and he’s not ready, but he says yes because he doesn’t want to disappoint me. I want him to ask so I know it’s what he wants.

She takes both my hands in hers. If you can’t tell how much that man loves you by the look of pure bliss in his eyes when he sees you, you’re blind, Jo. I know for certain it would make his entire world if you asked him.

Asked who? Cam says, walking into the kitchen. Samantha’s gone by the way. He jerks a thumb over his shoulder.

Oh, good, I say, letting go of Mo’s hands so Cam doesn’t think something is up.

My efforts are futile because he eyes us suspiciously. What’s going on in here? You two look like you’re plotting something.

I think quickly. No, I have to remember to call my dad later so I can ask him about this new brand of espresso beans he’s been using. He told me about them a few days ago and did promise to let me know how his customers liked them, so this isn’t exactly a lie. I never said that’s what Mo and I were discussing. I only said I have to remember to follow up with my dad about the beans.

Oh.

Jo? Jamar pokes his head into the kitchen.

Yeah? I say, thankful for the distraction. I don’t like keeping things from Cam.

Jamar scrunches his face. You’re not going to be happy to hear this, but Quentin is here to see you.

He’s right. I’m not happy in the least. Especially if he didn’t go see his wife before coming to Cup of Jo. She’ll be in here making a scene in no time if that’s the case.

He asked to speak to you in private, Jamar adds. "What